Painting young animals is part of my destiny. I will always be tempted to paint them. Art critics don’t want to see “cute” things in wildlife. Why not? They must know that the physical appearance and the proportions of the body of a youngster are so attractive to parents and other adults that it activates in them the instinct to protect them. It has been built into nature for millions of years and it is very important for the survival of the offspring. Without us knowing it, that instinct is in human genes also. The law of nature and the cosmos count for every living thing on this planet. So, I will exercise my right to paint “cute” things. It can, at times, end up as “postcard” art, but the challenge is to avoid that, and a real artist can.

The pups of the dog species are adorable. I compare their behavior to that of small children. What is happening in the drawing is a relief for the babysitting adult wolves. After the pups’ wild and sometimes uncontrollable games, they finally settle down for a rest. Mom will return from the hunt with the pack and feed them. It’s the eternal story of mother and child. When the pack goes hunting, a few members stay behind to care for the pups. The scene in my drawing is typically what you would see in front of the den when there is no danger present. The social rules and behavior in a wolf pack are among the most interesting things in nature and this is an animal that deserves our respect.